


Closure

by Scrcndpty



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Closure, F/M, Forgiveness, M/M, Near Death Experiences, Peace, Reader-Insert, Serious Injuries, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-14
Updated: 2019-03-14
Packaged: 2019-11-18 04:05:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18112925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scrcndpty/pseuds/Scrcndpty
Summary: “I know you.”“Yes,” you answered through gritted teeth. Leo wasn’t sure what glistened in your eyes: it wasn’t hate, no, more like distrust. Maybe a bit resentment, but he couldn’t blame you.You last saw him on the battle field as your enemy. Now there was peace between both of your kingdoms, but neither of you forgot that you had been moments away from killing each other.





	Closure

**Author's Note:**

> Finally finished playing Conquest after an eternity. Had this idea during one of the end scenes, and I love Leo, so … enjoy!
> 
> Reader is gender-neutral.

You didn't like crowds. You also doubted any other person would like crowds.

Hundreds of people pulling, and pushing, and pressing up against your own body, all of them being _way_ too close. Most of them had no respect when it came to others and just were borderline rude.

But as a member of the Hoshidan army, you couldn't really allow yourself to not be present on Princess, well, now Queen, Hinoka's coronation.

Really though: you preferred the battle field over this any day. At least you were allowed to get rid of most of the warriors running around there, considering they were enemies most of the time.

You sighed, reminding yourself once again to keep calm and stand proud. You were a powerful Onmyoji, had fought in the war between Hoshido and Nohr, had taken on one of the Nohrian royal brats and lived to tell the tale. You weren't intimidated by a mere crowd of a couple of hundred people.

“Y/N.”

You turned your head to Azama standing next to you. He had been promoted to Great Master during the war and taught you the proper handling of rods, extending your power further by giving you the ability to heal your allies with rods. As a former diviner, there wasn’t much you could teach him in return, but as Azama had said one day: Your new formed friendship was just as precious to him as knowledge, if not more.

“Yes, Azama?”

“You look like that one time you tried to pull Setsuna of one of the traps she fell in and got stuck with her in the end.”

“And how do I look, then?”

“Not amused.”

You chuckled, shaking your head.

“When did I fall into a trap?” Setsuna’s voice sounded as monotone as ever, and you bend forward a bit to look at her, standing on Azama’s other side.

“When didn’t you fall into a trap?”

“I don’t know. Right now?”

Azama snickered quietly, while Setsuna looked at you with a dumbfounded expression. One of the priest’s helpers, who assisted him during the coronation, shot you a death glare; a warning to be silent. You forced back your involuntary smile, moving to stand straight again.

“What is it you are worried about?” Azama asked after a few minutes, when the helper’s attention shifted to something or someone else.

You sighed. It wasn’t only the crowd that displeased you, seeing that you didn’t even were near any crowds when being with Hinoka’s retainers. “I don’t know. Maybe I am wary of this _peace._ Or of our Nohrian visitors. It is hard to believe that everything is over now. That everything is supposed to be rainbows and sunshine now.”

“Well, nobody died yet, so that is a good sign, yes?” Azama retorted, and you had to smile again.

“I guess.”

A death glare once again landed on your form, and you were quick to finally shut your mouth, remaining silent until the end of the coronation and Hinoka’s first speech as Queen of Hoshido. The festivities were now to begin.

With Princess Sakura close behind her, Hinoka then turned to Setsuna and Azama. Both of them bowed to their queen, you following suit.

“My Queen,” you said, but Hinoka waved you all off.

“Come, my friends,” she said, “you can accompany me to greet the Nohrian royal family.”

You couldn’t help it, your mouth twisted into a somehow pained expression at her words, but it wasn’t the Queen who had noticed your discomfort.

“I-is everything a-alright, Y/N?”

Sakura, always concerned about the others’ well-being, leaned close, hands clasped together. “You seem t-to be i-in pain,” she continued.

“No, everything is quite alright, Princess,” you reassured her, forcing a smile. You wished you had a weapon with you. But except for the guards, no weapons had been allowed to the coronation, no scroll or sword or otherwise, reinforcing the supposedly peaceful times the two kingdoms had entered. It didn’t help your uneasiness one bit, though.

The Nohrian family seemed to already have been waiting for you. King Xander stood foremost, his siblings slightly behind next to him. Corrin stepped forward as soon as your little group came near them, moving to greet Hinoka and take her hand, congratulating her to a successful speech.

You paid them all little mind as your attention focused in on one particular Nohrian prince. He was smaller than you thought, but it was difficult to guess a person’s height when they were sitting upon a horse. Prince Leo was no less intimidating, though, cool gaze resting on Hinoka and Corrin’s interaction, then on his younger sister Princess Elise when she carelessly skipped past to greet Sakura. Although shyly, Elise was greeted with a warm smile. You moved closer to the pair, ready to interfere should the worst happen.

That was when Leo’s gaze snapped to your form, a frown forming. But when you returned his hard gaze unyielding, his eyes widened in recognition.

“I know you.”

The conversation between Hinoka and the rest of the Nohrian family died down as soon as Leo had uttered these three words. Xander looked at his brother, his whole body language practically screaming at him to behave, but Leo ignored it. He didn’t plan on doing anything to harm anyone. He just wanted to –

“Yes,” you answered through gritted teeth, interrupting his thoughts. Leo wasn’t sure what glistened in your eyes: it wasn’t hate, no, more like distrust. Maybe a bit resentment, but he couldn’t blame you.

“Oh, dear.” This was Princess Camilla, stepping closer to rest a hand on her brother’s shoulder. “That’s some tension between you both.”

Neither one of you moved a muscle. You hoped he would give you a reason, didn’t matter what, but you craved it. One wrong word, one wrong movement and you would use it. Didn’t matter that you had no weapon, you would strangle him with your own two hands –

Suddenly, his eyes softened. You hesitated.

“I’m sorry.”

Well, that wasn’t what you had expected. Judging by the looks on the surrounding people’s faces they didn’t, either. But Leo wasn’t finished.

“I’m sorry,” he repeated, voice unwavering, “truly. I nearly killed you and – I’m sorry.”

You breath hitched in your throat, and you didn’t know how to react, at first. Then, you scoffed.

“Don’t flatter yourself, _Prince Leo_.” You emphasized his name. “I could have killed you without breaking a sweat.”

A perfect eyebrow arched up at your words, a smile tugging at the corners of Leo’s lips.

“Does this amuse you?” you asked, eyes narrowing.

“Uh, but Y/N,” Azama chimed in, “you were on bed rest for a whole week after that battle.”

“Yeah,” Setsuna drawled. “Hadn’t it been for Reina, you would have –“

“Really, guys?” you interrupted them, hands shaking in distressed. You balled them to fists. Nevertheless, they were right, of course. Without the Kinshi Knight, you hadn’t made it to a healer in time and succumbed to your wounds. You had the scars, a big one right under your left collar bone, to remind you of that every day.

“I meant it,” Leo said, stepping forward with his hands raised as if to calm a frightened animal, face dead serious again. “This war … I hurt a lot of people and nothing I say or do will revoke what happened and what I have done. It isn’t much, but please, I hope you can accept my sincerest apology.”

With that, Leo took one last step forward and bend a good few inches over, gaze on his shoes. You needed a few seconds to register that he was _bowing_ to you. When you didn’t say anything, he raised again, searching your gaze as if he could find an answer there.

For a short moment, you wanted to deny him what he wanted on principle, but he did sound sincere. When you looked into his eyes – eyes which practically begged you to say yes, to accept his plea – you realized he _needed_ this. And maybe you needed this, too, maybe this was the first small step into uniting two kingdoms torn apart centuries ago.

“I forgive you.”

A watery smile blossomed on Leo’s face as relief washed through his entire body. His voice wasn’t more than a breath when he whispered his thanks again and again.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are always appreciated!
> 
> Visit my [Marvel writing blog](https://secondxreality.tumblr.com) and my [side blog](https://scrcndpty.tumblr.com/)!


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